Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



F. W. TEVES.

STARTINGMECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, I914.

1 ,21 6,3?6. I Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

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F.. w. T'EVES.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR- INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 19M- Lmfifim. Patented Feb. 20, .1917.

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- F. W. TEVES.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION-ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20,19I4.

Patented Feb. 20,1917.

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FREDERICK W. 'IEVES, OF NEW YORK, N. Yl, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARGARET E.

GREEN, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y. a

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2@, 191?.

Application filed March 20, 1914. Serial No. 825,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Tnvns, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Starting Mechanism for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a means for starting into operation an internal combustion engine, said means being dependent for its motive power upon the stored energy of a powerful coiled spring the force of which spring is applied to rotate the crankshaft of the engine a sufficient number of times for effecting the intake, compression and ignition of a combustible vapor, whereby the engine is brought into operation without the intervention of manual labor.

The motor spring is rewound by power derived from the'engine shaft when the engine is running, but such operation of rewinding the motor spring is stopped upon the spring attaining a predetermined tension, at which period an automatic stop mechanism is brought into action so as to release the power transmitting means from the spring shaft. To bring the starter into operation, all that is required is for the op-' erator to press a startlng member, usually a lever, whereupon the power of the motor spring is rotatively applied to the engine shaft.

Other features of the invention and the advantages thereof will appear from the following detailed descriptioin taken in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a form of the starting mechanism especially adapted for use in connection with internal combustion engines used on Ford automobiles.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in vertical section of the right hand portion of the starting mechanism shown in Fig. 1.-

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the detent adapted to cooperate with the spring for the purpose of throwing the controlling dog into and out of position for shifting the feed pawl relative to the winding ratchet.

Fig. 4; is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating another embodiment of the invention, wherein an automatic safety device is combined with the starting mechanism so as to preclude injury to the motor spring in the event of a back fire in the engine.

Fig. 5 is av transverse section partly in elevation, on the line 55 of Fig. 4

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a winding crank by which the motor spring may be placed under tension byhand power should the auto matic winding mechanism get out of order.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating the preferred form of the starting mechanism wherein the spring shaft acts to transmit the power of the coiled spring to the engine shaft, and the same spring shaft operates the winding mechanism directly.

Fig. 8 is an end view looking toward the right hand side of Fig. 7.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings there is shown an embodiment of the starting mechanism suitable for an engine employed on the Ford automobile, although it is desired to state that the starting mechanism of this inventionmay be used in conjunction with any kind of internal combustion. engine. The framework A for the starting mecha nism is shown as consisting of parallel plates at fastened together by suitable connecting members, such as the tie rod a and the spring shaft B. The side plates (4 are provided with suitable bearings b in which is journaled a spring shaft B, the latter being slidable, also, in the bearings b.

C designates a motor spring, the inner end portion of which is fastened to the spring shaft by suitable means, such as the key 0, but the outer part of this motor spring is anchored fixedly in position, as for example, by attaching said motor spring to the tie rod a, as at c.

' The rotatable and slidable spring shaft is provided with a clutch member (Z, the lugs of which are adapted to fit into notches cl of a complemental clutch member D, the latter being provided with a head which is mounted loosely on the spring shaft 13. This clutch member D is made fast in any suitable way with a winding ratchet E, said winding ratchet being loose with the clutch member D on the spring shaft, but as said clutch member D is normally engaged with the clutch member d it follows that member D and windin ratchet E are normally fast with the sprlng shaft. Said spring shaft is provided at one end with a head 7 in the form of a rigid collar, and around this spring shaft is coiled a retracting spring F, one end of which is seated against a frame plate a whereas the other end acts on the head f for the purpose of normally drawing spring shaft B in the direction of its length- The power of the shaft 13 when the spring G unwinds is transmitted by suitable mechanism to the shaft of the engine to be started; as shown, this transmitting mechanism is a sprocket wheel 9 secured to an end portion of the spring shaft B, said sprocket wheel operating to impart motion to a sprocket chain G which transmits the motion to another sprocket wheel (not shown) on the engine shaft, said sprocket wheel of the engine shaft being used in connection with a clutch device of one form or another so as to apply to the engine shaft the rotative power of the motive spring.

The winding ratchet E is operated automatically by the mechanism shown more particularly in Fig. 2.. On the frame plate a are provided suitable guides h in which is slidably mounted a reciprocating rod H, the latter being provided at one end with a head it which is normally engaged by a cam H on the cam shaft H of the engine. Rod H is normally impelled in one direction by a spring 7L which is coiled around the rod and is engaged with the head it thereof so as to retain the rod in a position wherein the cam H is in frictional contact with the head It, whereby the cam acts to impart endwise movement to the rod H in one direction and thespring 71 returns the rod H when the low part of the cam is in contact with the head of the rod, thus securing the desired reciprocating movement of the rod automatically by the cam.

The rod H is provided with an upstanding ear 2' to which is pivoted a feed pawl I'by a pin 2''. The nose of the feed pawl is adapted to engage with a tooth of the winding ratchet E, but the heel portion of this feed pawl is provided with a stud j which works in a slot 7" of a link J. This link is pivoted by a pin is to a controlling detent K, the latter being in the form of a quadrant-shaped plate which is positioned alongside of one frame plate a and is pivoted thereby by a pin 70. This detent K is held under the tension of a spring L, one

end of which is fastened centrally to the plate by a pin Z, whereas the other end of the spring is anchored fixedly in position by an independent pin Z. s The free end of the pivoteddetent is cut away by a recess I which produces two lugs m m, and in this recessed partof the plateispositioned a stop pin M, the latter being fastened rigidly to a frame plate a positioned in the path of the lugs m m so as to serve as a means for arresting the pivotal. movement of the detent K with its pawl in one direction or the other under the action of spring L.

The detent K is shifted automatically by the winding and unwinding of the motor spring C, and to this end I employ a pivoted member 0, the same being in the form of a yoke, shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. This yoke consists of the arms 0 0 having a sleeve 0 and a toe-piece 0 The yoke is pivotally supported on a frame plate a by a pin 0 which passes through the sleeve '0 Said yoke occupies an operative relation to the motor spring and the detent, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said yoke O is arranged for its toe-piece-0 to contact exterio'rly with the outer convolution of the power spring C, whereas the other arm 0 of the yoke is positioned for operation-in the recessed edge of the detent K, whereby the arm 0 of the pivoted yoke is adapted for engagement with one lug or the other m m of said detent K. The yoke is under the control of a spring P, the latter exerting pressure upon the pivoted yoke so that the toe-piece 0 is normally in contact with the outer convolution of the motor spring.

Q is a check pawl which is pivoted to one of the frame plates (4 in position for engagement with the teeth of the winding ratchet E. This check pawl is under the control. of a spring 9 which acts to normally hold the pawl in engagement witih the ratchet, so that the pawl prevents the ratchet from turning in a backward direction and, accordingly, precludes unwinding of the motor spring until such time as the motor spring is released from the winding ratchet by disengaging the clutch member d from the member D of said winding ratchet.

The desired sliding movement mav be given to the spring shaft by any suitable mechanical appliance, such as the lever R- which is pivoted at r and is positioned for engagement with the headed end f of the spring shaft.

Assuming that the motor spring is wound to the desired tension and that it is desired to utilize the energy of said spring in starting the engine, it is only necessary for the operator to press upon the treadle lever B, whereupon the spring shaft B is moved endwise toward the left in Fig. 1. This disengages the clutch member d from the clutch member D and the spring C unwinds so as to impart rotative movement to the spring shaft B, which movement is transmitted by the sprocket chain G to the engine shaft for the purpose of rotating the latter the number of times necessary to draw in the charge of combustible vapor, compress said charge, and ignite the same, thus starting the engine into operation. To rewind the motor spring, the cam H acts on the rod H to impel it in one direction, but the spring k moves said rod in an opposite direction, thus imparting the reciprocating movement to the rod. Now when the spring C was unwinding the expansion of the spring pressed on the yoke so that the arm 0 thereof acted upon the lug m of the pivoted detent K r so as to move said detent to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the link J was lowered and the pawl I adjusted so that the nose of the pawl engaged with the teeth of the winding ratchet. Now the reciprocating movement of bar H operates on the pawl I to impart rotative movement to the winding ratchet E, which movement is communicated through the clutch D (Z to the shaft B, thereby winding the spring, it being apparent that'the starting lever R should have been previously released in order that the spring F may move the spring shaft so that the clutch cl will again engage the clutch D of the ratchet. This operation of winding the spring is performed automatically, and it continues until the spring shall have been wound to the desired tension, thereby reducing the diameter of the spring. As the spring is wound the yoke O is pressed into engagement with said spring externally until the arm 0 of the yoke engages with the lug we so as to shift the position of the detent K and thereby withdraw the lug m from stop M and bring the other lug m into contact with the stop M. The pivoted detent K is thus lifted and is held in a raised position by the spring L. As a result of lifting the detent K, the link J is moved a definite distance so that the lower part of the slotted link acts on the stud j in'a manner to turn feed pawl I on its pivot 71, thus depressing the nose of the feed pawl away from engagement with the winding ratchet. The devices thus operate automatically to shift the winding mechanism out of operative relation to the winding ratchet, and although the bar H is reciprocated by the cam H when the engine is running, such reciprocation of the rod will not act on the feed pawl I to influence the winding ratchet. Tt is evident that when the power spring is again uncoiled the expansion of the spring will shift the yoke 0 so as to reverse the de tent K and lower link J so that the winding pawl will be automatically restored to a position for engagement with the winding ratchet, but such engagement of the pawl with the ratchet does not take place until the spring C operates to impart the required motion to shaft B for starting the engine into operation.

In Fig. 1 the spring shaft and frame rod 0 are shown as extending for a considerable distance beyond the motor spring, the latter being much shorter than the spring shaft and the frame rod. This enables me to use an auxiliary spring, indicated in dotted lines at C, the latter being connected at one end to the spring shaft and at the other end to the frame rod, but it is apparent that the auxiliary spring may or may not be used.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate an embodiment of the invention especially adapted for use in connection with the internal combustion engines of motor driven boats. The starting mechanism shown in said figures is quite compact so that said mechanism can be installed by removing the ordinary clutch mechanism associated with the propeller shaft and the engine. As shown, the starting mechanism embodies a frame A consisting of side plates a the base plate a and the top member a said base member being provided with a post a. The spring shaft B is journaled in suitable bearings 5 6 of the frame plates and the post a The motor spring C is coiled around the spring shaft so that one end of the spring is attached to said shaft, whereas the other end of the spring is fastened to the frame rod a. The winding ratchet E is mounted loosely on the spring shaft, and this ratchet is shown as having a hub e on one side and a clutch member D on the opposite side. This clutch member D is provided with notches adapted to receive dogs at one end of a double clutch member S which is fastened to the spring shaft in a suitable way, as by a pin 8, said double clutch member being free to rotate within the bearing 6 of one frame plate a The double clutch member S is provided at the other end thereof with a plurality of lugs which are positioned for engagement with a clutch member 25 on a tran mitting sprocket T, the latter being loosely mounted on the shaft B and adapted to be made fast therewith by engagement with the double clutch member S. The transmitting sprocket T is engaged by a sprocket chain T, and this sprocket is normally made fast with the clutch member S by a spring F, the latter being loosely coiled around an end portion of the spring shaft B and retained on said shaft by the nuts f.

When the spring imparts motion to the spring shaft B, the latter operates through clutch S to communicate the motion to sprocket T, and this motion is transmitted from sprocket chain T to the engine shaft for the purpose of starting the engine, but should a back-fire occur in the engine, and the chain T communicate this motion to the sprocket T, then the inclined faces on the clutch member 25 of the sprocket T will ride upon the corresponding faces of the lugs on the clutch member S, whereby the sprocket T will turn on the spring shaft and slide over a limited distance thereon against the tension of spring F, as a result of which the back-fire of the engine will not be communicated by the sprocket chain to the springshaft, thus avoiding the possibility of wrecking the starting mechanism.

The winding mechanism for the motor spring is operated automatically from the cam shaft H of the engine by mechanism similar in substantial particulars to the winding mechanism heretofore described, it being evident that the starting lever should be released before the rewinding operation takes place, but this winding mechanism is modified to some extent, as will now, be set forth. U designates a swinging arm provided with a sleeve a which is fitted loosely to the collar 6 of winding ratchet E. Said arm U is pivoted at its lower end by a pin a. to'one end portion of the rod H the other end portion of which rod is connected with the strap k by an eccentric H on the cam shaft H whereby the rotation of the eccentric imparts reciprocating motion positively to the rod H This rod carries the feed pawl I, the nose of which is adapted for engagement with the teeth of winding ratchet E, and to said feed pawl is loosely connected the link J ,the other end of which link is pivoted to the detent K. Said detent is controlled by a spring L, and with the detent cooperates the yoke 0 one arm of which is adapted for engagement with the lugs of the detent, whereas the other arm of said yoke is in contact with the surface of the motor spring C all as hereinbefore described, said yoke 0 being controlled by the spring P'..

The operation of this part of the invention will be obvious from the foregoing description taken in connection with Figs. 4 and 5.

Under some conditions of service it may be desirable to employ means for manually placing the motor spring under tension. Various expedients may be resorted to for this purpose but in Figs. 4: and 6 the starting mechanism is shown as having the gear hand crank V, said boss 1) having teeth 0 adapted to mesh with the teeth of gear V, whereby the crank V may be rotated by .handfor the purpose of winding the spring O In the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings the spring shaft B is journaled in suitable bearings 10 of a frame A but this spring shaft is non-slidable in said bearings. As shown, two motor springs C C are employed, although it is evident that one of said motor springs may be omitted. Each motor spring is secured fixedly at one end to a part of frame A as by the screws or bolts 11, but instead of connecting the in-. ner end of the motor spring directly to the spring shaft, I employ a slidable and rotatable sleeve 12. This sleeve is mounted loosely on the spring shaft so that it can slide lengthwise thereof, and said sleeve is adapted to be made fast with the spring shaft through suitable clutch mechanism. At one end the slidable and rotatable sleeve 12 is provided with a clutch face 13 and with an annular groove 14, whereas the other end portion of said sleeve is provided with a clutch face 15. The grooved part 14: of the sleeve is connected operatively with a lever 16, the latter being provided with one or more studs 17 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, whereby the stud extends from the lever into the groove 14 of the sleeve. The lever is shown as occupying a vertical position, said lever being fulcrumed by a bolt 18 on the frame A and the upper part of the lever being engaged by a spring 19. The purpose of said spring is to normally position sleeve 12 so that its clutch face 13 is free from engagement with a clutch collar or member 20, the latter being made fast with the spring shaft in a suitable way, as by a transverse pin 21. Lever 16 is under manual control, and to provide for the operation of said lever at will a rod 22 is pivoted to the upper part of the leverby a pin 23, said rod being fitted slidably in a guide 24 and having a push piece 25 at the free end thereof, whereby the operator can apply pressure to the push piece for the purpose of moving lever 16 and sleeve 12 against the tension of spring 19 so as to bringthe clutch member 13 of said sleeve 12 into interlocking engagement with the clutch member 20 of the spring shaft B thus applying the power of the spring or springs to said shaft.

The spring shaft is provided near one end with a transmitting member T which may be a gear, but which preferably is a sprocket wheel engaged by a sprocket chain 26. This sprocket chain extends from the spring shaft to a similar sprocket gear on the engine shaft, or other part of the engine, to which it is desired to impart rotative movement. The sprocket chain serves primarily to transmit the power of the spring through the spring shaft B to the engine shaft, for the purpose of starting the engine into operation, but the same sprocket 26 transmits the motion of the engine shaft when the latter is in operation back to the spring shaft B the latter operating on winding mechanism by which the spring is rewound, whereby a single shaft is employed to transmit the power of the spring to the engine and to transmit the motion f the engine for rewinding the spring.

As shown in Fig. 7, the sprocket wheel is provided with clutch dogs 27 which cooperate with recesses 28 of a clutch member 29 that is made fast by a pin 30 to the spring shaft, and in the event of a back fire in the engine cylinders the sprocket T is free'to slide on the spring shaft for a limited distance so as to disengage itself automatically from the clutch member 29, thus precluding injury to the spring starting mechanism in case of a back fire. The sprocket wheel is, however, normally held in fixed engagement with the shaft by the clutch member 27 thereof engaging with the clutch member 29, such engagement being due" to the action of a spring 31 which is loosely coiled on the shaft and positioned thereon for engagement with the sprocket wheel T Said spring 31 is seated against a nut 32 held in fixed relation to the spring shaft by a jam nut 33, the two nuts being screwed on a threaded part of the spring shaft.

Mounted loosely on the spring shaft is a winding member E herein shown as a ratchet, the hub of said ratchet being provided with a clutch member 34 which is normally in fixed engagement with the clutch member 15 of the slidable and rotatable sleeve 12, the spring 19 acting through lever 16 and pin 17 in retaining the clutch sleeve 12 in a position wherein its clutch face 15 is in engagement with the clutch face 34 of the winding ratchet.

35 designates a feed lever positioned alongside of the winding ratchet E Said feed lever is provided intermediate its ends with a slot 36 through which loosely passes spring shaft B and on this spring shaft is rigidly secured a cam or eccentric 37, the edge of which is in contact with a wall of the slot 36 whereby the rotation of the cam with the spring shaft acts through the eccentric to impart an oscillating motion to the feed lever. Said feed lever is pivotally supported on frame A by a short horizontal post 38, said post serving as a support for a check pawl 39 which is held in engagement with the winding ratchet by a spring 40, said pawl operating to prevent rotation of the winding ratchet in a backward direction. The feed lever is provided at its upper part with a feed pawl 41, the latter being pivoted to said lever by pin 42 and being pressed by a spring 43 into engagement with a tooth of the winding ratchet. The pawl is mounted on the lever so as to be movable therewith, and when the pawl is in engagement with the ratchet the movement of the lever in one direction under the action of cam 37 imparts the desired feed movement to the pawl so as to rotate the ratchet, but as the cam moves the lever 35 in an opposite direction the feed pawl slips idly over the teeth of the ratchet.

The feed pawl is shifted automatically into and out of engagement with the ratchet by the operation of a tumbler 44 and a yoke, the latter being controllable by the expansion or contraction of the spring, sub stantially as hereinbefore described. The tumbler 44 is pivoted on the frame by a pin 45, and this tumbler is under the control of a spring 46, the latter being coiled around a guide rod 47 which is fitted loosely to an ear 48 of the tumbler. The pivoted tumbler is provided with two arms 49 50.

The yoke controlled by the expansion or contraction of the spring is pivoted by a pin 52 on a stationary part of the frame, and around this pin 52 is coiled a spring 53. Said yoke consists of two arms 54 55, the former arm 54 being normally held by the spring 53 in contact with the periphery of spring C as shown in Fig. 7, but on the other arm 55 of the yoke is provided an inwardly extending finger 56, the latter operating between the arms 49 50 of the pivoted tumbler. When the spring is expanded, and it is desired to throw the feed pawl into engagement with the ratchet, the arm 55 of the yoke is moved upwardly into contact with the arm 49 of the tumbler, thereby turning the tumbler on its pivot 45, thus withdrawing the tumbler arm 49 from pin 51 on the heel of the pivoted pawl 41, whereupon the spring 43 presses the nose of the pawl into engagement with a tooth of the winding ratchet. The rotation of the shaft B when the engine is in operation imparts motion to cam 37, and feed lever 35 is thus oscillated to impart movement to the feed pawl 41, thereby turning the ratchet E so that the rotation of the ratchet will turn the sleeve 12 and wind the spring or springs. By placing tension on the spring its diameter is reduced, and this reduction in diameter causes the yoke arm 54 of the spring-pressed yoke to follow or keep in contact with the spring, as a result of which the yoke is turned on the pivot pin 52 so that the arm 55 will act against arm 50 of the tumbler and turn said tumbler in a direction for the arm 49 thereof to act on the pin 51 of the pawl, thus lifting the nose of the pawl out of engagement with the winding ratchet.

'From the foregoing description it is apparent that the starting mechanism illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 is compact and simple having in view the several automatic operations required to utilize the power of a spring in starting the engine and to rewind the spring by the motion of the engine shaft, the starting lever 16 being released prior to the operation of the rewinding mechanism. It is apparent that the power of the spring is quickly applied to turn the engine shaft rapidly or to spin it in order to start the engine into operation, said spring being controllable manually 'by a suitable device, such as the push-piece 25 and the lever 16. The winding mechanism when the engine is running is actuated from starting it.

'- mechanism by a back fire in the engineis C 7 which is adapted by the resistance of clutch overcome by the employment of the automatically movable transmitting member T x member 29 to slidealong the shaft B against the tension of spring 31, thus con- ,tributinga factor of safety to the entire mechanism.

Having thus fully described the inven-- other arm of which cooperates with the tumbler for shifting the pawl relative to the ratchet.

2. In a starting mechanism for combustion engines, the combination with a motor imparting sliding movement to said part, a feed pawl engaging said ratchet, a tumbler operatively connected with said feed pawl, and a yoke controllable by the motor spring, said yoke cooperating with said tumbler for shifting the pawl relative to said ratchet.

3. In a starting mechanism for combustion engines, the combination with a spring shaft and a motor spring, of a winding ratchet, a clutch connecting said winding ratchet with said shaft, a feed pawl, a tumbler linked to said pawl, said tumbler being pivoted independently of the pawl, a spring for retaining the tumbler in adjusted positions, and a two-armed member one of which arms cooperates with the tumbler and the other with the motor spring.

4:. In a starting mechanism for combustion engines, the combination with a shaft, of a sleeve slidable thereon, a spring for imparting rotative movement to the sleeve, a clutch between the sleeve and the shaft, a lever for shifting the sleeve with respect to the clutch, a winding ratchet, a clutch between the winding ratchet and the sleeve, said clutches being controllable by the shifting movement of the sleeve, means for imparting rotative movement to the winding member for placing the spring under tension, and a train of gears connecting the spring shaft with the motor to be operated, one of said gears being clutch'controlled.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK W. TEVES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,-

' Washington, D. C. 

